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This skull of an eastern diamondback rattlesnake, which will be on view in The Power of Poison

The Co-Chairs and Steering Committee of the Junior Council invite you to a private exhibition viewing of The Power of Poison.

The event includes remarks by the exhibition’s curator, Mark Siddall, a viewing of the exhibition The Power of Poison, and a cocktail reception.

For centuries, humans have marveled at the secrets of poisons and sought to harness their toxic powers—and this exhibition explores both the biological basics of poison and the ways in which people have confronted its perils and potential. Taking a comprehensive look at poison—as a dynamic defense system used by animals locked in evolutionary arms races with predators; as a compelling thread that runs through familiar legends, myths, and fables; as a series of mysteries visitors encounter and solve, including what suddenly poisoned Captain James Cook and two naturalists aboard his ship in 1774; and as a promising source for powerful medical treatments—The Power of Poison brings into sharp focus this captivating topic.